Machine for automatically inspecting and packaging tubular articles



May 12, 1970 T. GIUSTI ETA!- 3,511,371 MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLYINSPECTING AND I PACKAGING TUBULAR ARTICLES Filed Dec. 26, 1967 I 14Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VE N TORS. T heodore L. Giusfi Donald P. H y John A..Sei gfif wall fla D. 701M AGE/VT May 12, 1970 T. L. GlUSTl ETAL3,511,371

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPECTING AND PACKAGING TUBULAR ARTICLESFiled Dec. 26, 1967 14 Sheets-Sheet 2 Theodore L. 6iusfi Donald P. Horny John A. Seiferf INVENTORS.

AGENT May 12, 1970 s ug-r ETAL 3,511,371

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPEC'I'ING AND PACKAGZENG TUBULAR ARTICLESFiled Dec. 26, 1967 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVE N TORS. Theodore L. GiushDonald R Horn John A. Seiferf woo/om z rw AGENT May 12, 1970 T. 1..GIUST] ETAL 3,511,371

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPECTING AND Filed Dec. 26, 1967 PACKAGINGTUBULAR ARTICLES 14 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Position I Posi'rion4 1 F 88 Position 3 Fig.5

m E V .5 K q 3 (1. i .5 s I i: 8 /NVENT0 R$. Theodore L. 6103!: q DonaldH orn w M John A. .Se/ferf May 12, 1970 l T. L. GIUSTI ETAL 3,511,371

' MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPECTING AND PACKAGING TUBULAR ARTICLESFiled Dec. 26, 1967 14 Sheets-Sheet 5 Match Line with Fig.9

Fig. 8

IN VE NTQRS Theodore L. 6/usf/ Donald P. Horn John A. Sea/fer! AGE/V7May 12, 1970 PACKAGING TUBULAR ARTICLES 14 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 26,1967 0 H \n\ m w O n T6, [lull N ELH../ A W V8 Nw d wmm 00 DJ O O D O OO O O O 0 O O O O G .5: o m 9m ii :4 532 g NE w I! AGENT May 12, 1970 T.L. GIUSTI ETA!- MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPECTING AND Filed Dec. 26,1967 PACKAGING TUBULAR ARTICLES 14 Sheets-Sheet v Match Line L with Fig.9

[N VE N TORS. Theodore L. Giusfi Donald P. Horn Jo/m A. Se/fen AGE/VTMay 12, 1970 T. L. GlUSTl ET AL MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPEC'IINGAND PACKAGING'TUBULAR- ARTICLES Filed Dec. 26, 1967 14 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVE NTQRS. Theodore L. Gzush 0 GOOD AGENT May 12, 1970 T. L. GlUSTl ETAL3,511,371 MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPECTING AND PACKAGING TUBULARARTICLES Filed Dec. 26, 1967 14 Sheets-Sheet 9 fiVE/vw/P Theadore L6/usf/ Donald P. Horn John A. Sezferf May 12, 1970 T. 1.. GIUSTI ETA!-3,511,371

MACHINE FQR AUTOMATICALLY INSPECTING AND PACKAGING TUBULAR ARTICLESFiled Dec. 26', 1967 14 Sheets-Shegt 10 IN VE N 70 56. Theodore L.6105/: Donald P. Horn John A. Safari [dz/d am AGE/VT May 12, 1970 T. L.GIUSTI ETA!- 5 5 MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPECTING AND PACKAGINGTUBULAR ARTICLES Filed Dec. 26, 1967 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 IN VE N 7' QRS.Theodore L. 6/usf/ Donald P. Horn y John A. Se/ferf B I AGENT May 12,1970 v ems-n ETAL 3,511,371

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPECTING AND PACKAGING TUBULAR ARTICLESFiled DeC.. 26, 1967 14 Sheets-Sheet 12 //V VE N TORS.

Theodore L. Gius/i Donald R Horn John A. Seiferf May 12, 1970 usn ETAL3,511,371

- MACHINEFOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPECTING AND PACKAGING TUBULAR ARTICLESFiled DEC. 26, 1967 14 Sheets-Sheet 15 /NVENTO /-?5. Theodore L. G/usfIDonald F. Horn John A. SeIferf AGENT May 12, 1970 T. L. GIUSTI ETA!-3,511,371

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPECTING AND PACKAGING TUBULAR ARTICLESFiled Dec. 26, 1967 14 Sheets-Sheet 14.

ELECTRICAL POWER SOURCE 96/ w fiflos 50 Y F WMD-ZM Y A6ENT- UnitedStates Patent 3,511,371 MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY INSPECTING ANDPACKAGING TUBULAR ARTICLES Theodore L. Giusti, Donald P. Horn, and JohnA. Seifert, Providence, R.I., assignors to Corning Glass Works, Corning,N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 693,307Int. Cl. B07b 13/04 US. Cl. 209-74 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Amachine including rotatable chucks for holding tubular articles neartheir ends, gauging means in the vicinity of each chuck and movablealong with it during its rotation for detecting defects in the ends ofthe tubular articles and a reject gate associated with each chuck fordiverting defective articles from their normal path in the machine.After inspection, those articles which are not rejected are stacked in ajig, end caps are placed around the ends of the stacked tubes, the endcaps are tied and the resultant bundles art ejected from the machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the inspection andpackaging of tubular articles, such as glass tubing of the type used influorescent light bulbs. Such glass tubing is drawn at high rates fromthe glass-melting furnace, and as soon as the tubing has cooledsufficiently and while the tubing is still on the draw, it is severedinto lengths suitable for fabrication into the final product. When thelengths are to be incorporated into fluorescent bulbs, their ends mustbe reheated and formed with a high degree of precision too permit themsubsequently to be sealed to the other bulb components.

Previously it has been the practice to inspect the tube ends visuallyand to reject those which visual observation showed to be defective.Those tubes which passed such inspection were then manually loaded intopackages for shipping.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus forautomatically inspecting the ends of tubular articles with greaterreliability and precision than is obtainable by visual inspection andfor packaging only those articles indicated by such inspection to besatisfactory.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, there is providedapparatus for receiving a plurality of tubes carried in transverseorientation along an input conveyor, the apparatus comprising a pair ofrotatable chucks which grasp the tubes near their ends and a pluralityof gauges which are movable along with the tubing in the chucks. Areject gate movable in response to signals emitted by the gauges causesdefective tubes to be diverted from the normal course through thepackaging apparatus. Tubes which are found satisfactory proceed to a jigwhere they are stacked and packaged by means of end caps. The packagesare then ejected from the jig and conveyed from the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side plan view of theinspecting and packaging apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end view illustrating the tube chuck and the feed mechanismtherefor.

FIG. 4 is a side view, partly in section, of the actuating mechanism fora gauge.

Patented May 12, 1970 FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view taken on line5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a developed view of the cams which control the movement of thegauge of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a side plan view of the chuck and its associated feed-insystem.

FIG. 9 is a side plan view of the loading jigs.

FIG. 10 is a side plan view of the package ejector mechanism.

FIG. 11 is a side view, partly in section, of a tube chuck.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken on line 1212 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a side plan view of the stacker supply rail.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged side view of the stop gate at the entrance to thestacker.

FIG. 15 is an end view of the stop gate assembly of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is an end view of the stacker assembly.

FIG. 17 is a plan view of the stacker showing a row of bulbs on thestacker supply shelf.

FIG. 18 is an end elevational view of the stacker supply shelf in closedposition.

FIG. 19 is an end elevational view of the stacker supply shelf in openposition.

FIG. 20 is an end elevational view of the bundle capping assembly.

FIG. 21 is an end elevation view of the end cap clamp.

FIG. 22 is a side elevational view of the end cap supply section, and

FIG. 23 is a sectional view showing the construction of the gaugesutilized in inspecting the tubes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, glasstubes 10 are fed by input peg chain conveyors 12 into the inspecting andpackaging apparatus, which is essentially symmetric about a verticallongitudinal plane, thereby making possible the supporting, inspectingand packaging of the tubes at each end thereof, the tubes beingmaintained in spaced relation by means of pegs 14. During normaloperation of the apparatus, bypass gates 16 are in the positionillustrated in FIG. 8, permitting the tubes to be transferred from inputconveyors 12 to tube feed conveyors 18 by which they are deposited innotches in star wheels 20. The tubes, which are maintained in the starwheels by means of guides 22 are transferred to chucks 24, where theirends are inspected and defective tubes rejected. When it is desired tobypass the inspecting and packaging mechanism entirely, bypass gates 16are moved to their forward positions, illustrated by the broken lines inFIG. 8, thereby causing the tubes to be deposited successively on bypassrails 25 and bypass conveyors 27, 56 and 31, leading to a storagestation 3-3.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, each of chucks 24 has a plurality of tuberetaining pockets 26. A tube is transferred into the chucks at position1, illustrated in FIG. 8. As the chuck is rotated to bring the tube topositiotn 2, spring loaded jaws 28, illustrated in FIG. 11, engage thetube and prevent its movement. Jaws 28 are pivotally attached to arms30, which pivot about shafts 32. The jaws are normally spring loaded bymeans of springs 34 to a closed position; however, as the chucks rotateabout stationary cams 36, cam followers 38 on supports 40 to whichshafts 3 2 pivotally connected cause the jaws to open at position 5 andto remain open until aftter another tube has been deposited therein atposition 1. At position 5, tubes which are not defective drop from thechuck onto 3 supply rail 44 along which they are moved by pegs 46 onoverhead feed-in chain 48.

When a tube is sensed to be defective, reject gates 50 move forward tothe position shown by the broken lines in FIG. 8, thus cooperating withstationary guides 52 to form a path for a rejected tube to rotating starwheels 54, which deposit the rejected tube on peg chain bypass conveyors56. From bypass conveyors 56 the tubes are carried by second bypassconveyors 31 to storage station 33 in the same manner as tubes which areintentionally caused to bypass the machine.

The location of gauges 58 is illustrated in FIG. 3, and the actuatingmechanism for a typical gauge is illustrated in FIGS. 4-7. Each gauge isresiliently mounted on a shaft 60 by means of a spring 61 located withina hollow shaft 62 projecting from, and integral with, ball screw 64.Ball screw 64 is rotatable in ball nut 66, which is, in turn, rigidlymounted on slide 68. Slide 68 is keyed to gauge drive mechanism mount 70in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6. Slide 72 is rigidly attached toslide 68 and is free to move longitudinally relative to gauge drivemechanism mount 70, movement being facilitated by ball bearings 74.Similarly, lower slide 76 is longitudinally movable with respect tomount 70. Lower slide 76 is, in turn, rigidly connected to ball screwhousing 78, and ball screw 64 is rotatably mounted in housing 78, asillustrated in FIG. 5, so as to permit rotation of the ball screw, whilepreventing longitudinal movement of the ball screw relative to thehousing.

Gauge drive mechanism mount 70 is rigidly attached to chuck 24 by bolts,such as bolt 82, while chuck 24 is rigidly connected to drive shaft 80.Accordingly, when shaft 80 is rotated, the rotation is transmitted tochuck 24, from chuck 24 to mount 70, from mount 70 to lower slide 76and, by means of slide 72 to upper slide 68 and thence to ball nut 66.Thus, the entire gauge assembly rotates along with the chuck. Asrotation is effected, upper slide cam follower 84 and lower slide camfollower 86 move along groove cams 88 and 90 which are formed in thecylindrical surface of stationary drums 92 and 94. Developed views,i.e., views showing the generally circular cam paths as flattened as ifthe cylindrical drums 92 and 94 were opened and flattened into planes,are shown in FIG. 7. As the cam followers move from position 1 toposition 2, illustrated in FIG. 8, they are advanced toward the tubingat the same rate, such that there is no relative motion between slides68 and 76. Thus, since there is no relative motion between ball screw 64and ball nut 66, there is no rotation of gauge 58, the gauge merelybeing moved into contact with the end of tube 10. The gauge, which isspring loaded, contacts the tube end slighly before position 2. Betweenpositions 2 and 3 cam path 88 continues to move in the direction of thetube, while cam path 90 remains at a uniform distance from the tube.Thus, slide 76, to which ball screw housing 78 is rigidly attached, hasno longitudinal motion, the longitudinal motion of slide 68 in thedirection of the tube causes ball screw 64 to be rotated by means ofball nut 66, thereby effecting rotation of gauge 58 through 180. Theneed for only 180 rotation of the gauge will be described hereinafter aspart of the detailed description of the gauge construction. Betweenposition 3 and position 4, the cam paths are again parallel and moveaway from the tube, thereby withdrawing the gauge from contact with thetube without rotating the gauge. From position 4 back to position 1, thedistance between cam path 88 and the tube progressively increases, whilethe distance from cam path 90 and the tube remains constant. Thus, slide76 and ball screw housing 78 are maintained in constant longitudinalpositions, while slide 68 and ball nut 66 move away from the tube,thereby effecting rotation of ball screw 64 through 180 in a directionopposite to its previous direction of rotation. The gauge, having made acomplete revolution about drive shaft 80 is thcn in position to repeatthe described cycle with reference to a new tube.

The construction of gauges 58 is illustrated in FIG. 23. Each gaugecomprises two sets of probes 96, 98 which contact the ends of the tubesas the gauge is rotated. Inasmuch as the respective sets of probes areidentical, only one set is illustrated in the drawing. Each set ofprobes comprises an adjustable set of contact points 114 and 108, and aset of fixed contact points 11 0 and 112. It is because the respectivesets of probes are located 180 apart with respect to the tubecircumference that the entire tube end may be scanned by the gauge byrotation of the gauge through only 180. Each probe is held by twoparallel springs 100 and 102. The springs are biased such that in theabsence of pressure on the probe ends from the tube end the probe endsproject beyond contact plate 104. The distance by which probe 96projects from the contact plate is varied by means of adjustment screw106. Probe 98 is adjusted by adjustment of lower adjustment screw 108,which is mounted on but electrically insulated from probe 96. Becausefixed contact points and 112, which are rigidly mounted on probe 98, butwhich are electrically insulated therefrom, are spring-biased againstlower adjustable contact point 108. Points 112 and 108 remain in contactas long as the probe is out of contact with a tube end. Probe 98 isadjusted to project beyond probe 96 when the probes are not in contactwith the tube end by a distance equal to the maximum permissiblevariation in tube end configuration. The gap between upper fixed contactpoint 110 and upper adjustable contact point 114 when the probes are inthe illustrated position is equal to twice the maximum tube variation.Thus, when a tube is brought into contact with contact plate 104,thereby causing retraction of probes 96 and 98, probe 98 will be causedto retract relative to probe 96 by the amount of permissible tube endvariation, thereby causing fixed contact points 110 and 112 to be spacedfrom the respective adjustable contact points by an amount equal to themaximum permissible tube end variation.

Fixed contact points 110 and 112 are attached to a source of electricpower, as indicated in FIG. 23. When a defect of sufiicient magnitude ispresent in a tube end, relative motion between the tube probes willcause one of the fixed contact points to effect electrical connectionwith its associated adjustable contact point. An electric circuit isthereby completed, and electric power is supplied to a time delaymechanism for moving reject gates 50 at each end of the tube to theirclosed position to cause the defective tube to be deposited on bypassconveyor 56. The two sets of probes are electrically connected inparallel, so that a signal from either set will close the reject gates.

When inspection indicates a tube to be free from defects, reject gates50 remain in the open position, and the tube is deposited on supplyrails 44. Initially the tube is moved along the supply rail by means ofpeg chain conveyors 116, illustrated in FIG. 8. Subsequently, movementof the tubes is effected by means of pegs 46 on overhead feed-in chains48. Pegs 46 are spring loaded, so that in the event of the build up oftubes on the supply rail, they can pass over the tubes without damagingthe tubes or the stacking mechanism. Three build-up switches 118,illustrated in FIG. 13, are located above the supply rail. When amalfunction of the apparatus allows tubes to build up on the supplyrails to the extent that the three build-up switches are actuatedsimultaneously, a signal is transmitted to move reject gates 50 to theirclosed position, thereby diverting subsequent tubing to bypass conveyor56.

At the end of supply rail 44 is a stacker supply shelf 120, illustratedin FIGS. 9, l4 and 16-19, used for loading in succession eight jigs 122.The jigs travel intermittently through the loading position on chains124, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. As indicated in FIGS. 17-19,stacker supply shelf supports nine tubes. As shown in FIG. 14, overheadfeed-in chains 48 terminate at the entrance to the supply shelf. At oneend of the supply shelf are located two tube detector switches 126,illus trated in FIG. 17. When the force exerted by the tubes on theswitches becomes sufiicient, the switches transmit a signal to stopgates 128, thereby causing the stop gates to pivot down between theninth and tenth tubes, as shown in FIG. 15. Subsequently, the supplyshelf pivots to its open position, as illustrated in FIG. 19, and a rowof nine tubes is deposited on index supports 129. Next, the indexsupports, which are carried on ball nut 130 are caused to lower by adistance equal to the tubing diameter by rotation of ball screw 132. Thesupply shelf subsequently pivots back to its closed position, and thestop gate is raised to allow another row of nine tubes to travel to thesupply shelf. The cycle is then repeated until seven rows of nine tubeshave been deposited in the jig. After the seventh and last cycle, theindex supports are lower than the bottom surface of the jig, asillustrated by the broken lines in FIG. 16, and the tubes are supportedentirely by the jig. A signal is then transmitted to initiate movementof chains 124, thereby bringing another jig into position to be loaded.

After leaving the stacking area the jig carrying the tubes passes to thebundle cappers, designated generally by the numeral 134 in FIG. 1,further details being shown in FIGS. 20-22. A supply of end caps 136,which may be formed of cardboard, are supported by four horizontal guiderails 138. The end caps are automatically advanced in the direction ofthe tubes by a feed mechanism comprising a ball screw driven by means ofmotor 142 through forward and reverse clutch 144. The motor runscontinuously during operation and drives the end cap feed mechanism only.when the forward or reverse clutch is energized. An electrical eye 146emits a signal to cause disengagement of the forward clutch when an endcap is between the electric eye and the light source, thereby limitingthe forward motion of the supply of end caps. The end caps are removedfrom the supply section by a cylinder 150 having suction cups 152mounted so as to move with the cylinder rod. The entire assembly ismounted so as to be rotatable about axis 154, and the cylinder rod islongitudinally movable. Thus, the capping mechanism can move from theposition at which it picks up an end cap to the location of the ends ofthe tubing to be capped.

As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, four flaps on the end caps are maintainedabout the ends of the stack of tubes by means of four arms 156 on thecapping device. Before the stack of tubes is moved to the location atwhich a string is tied around the flaps on the end caps, end capbrackets 158 are lowered over and around each end cap in order tomaintain it around the tube ends prior to tieing. The end cap bracketstravel along overhead rods 160. When the bundle reaches the string tier,indicated generally by numeral 162, a string is wound around the flapsof each end cap, thereby securing the cap over the ends of the tubing.The details of the string tier will not be discussed, inasmuch as suchdevices are well known and commercially available on the open market.One such device is that known in the art as the Bunn Package TieingMachine, style M1631. Subsequent to tieing, the bundle is ejected bybundle ejector 164 to conveyor 166 by which the finished bundle isconveyed from the machine.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for inspecting tubular articles, said apparatus comprisingat least one chuck member,

means for rotating said chuck member about an axis,

said chuck member having a generally circular periphery provided with aplurality of pockets adapted to receive tubular articlesorientedgenerally parallel to said axis,

inspecting means adapted to move into and out of engagement with an endof a tubular article held in said chuck member, 1

a movable guide member having an arcuate surface in opposition to saidperiphery of said chuck member adapted to guide tubular articles and toretain tubular articles in said pockets of said chuck member, the centerof curvature of said arcu'ate surface being generallly at the axis ofrotation of said chuck member,

first conveyor means for conveying tubular articles to said chuckmember,

second conveyor means for conveying defective articles from said chuckmember, and

third conveyor means for conveying acceptable articles from said chuckmember,

said guide member being movable along and generally parallel to saidperiphery of said chuck member in response to signals from saidinspecting means to modify the location at which tubular articles aredischarged from said chuck member to cause defective tubular articles tobe deposited on said second conveyor and to cause acceptable articles tobe deposited upon said third conveyor.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes fourth conveyor meansleading from said first conveyor means to said third conveyor means andmeans for selectively diverting tubular articles from said firstconveyor means to said fourth conveyor means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said third conveyor leads tomeans for packaging tubular articles.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes two said chuck membersadapted to hold tubular articles in the vicinity of the ends thereof andmeans for rotating said chucks to cause the pockets therein to move inunison along parallel paths.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said inspect means comprisessupport means,

a first probe,

a second probe,

said probes being spring-biased from said support in the direction ofsaid chuck and being reciprocable along parallel paths,

said first probe having two electric contact points spaced apart in adirection parallel to said paths,

said second probe having an electric contact located between saidelectric contact points of said first probe and movable between saidcontact points of said first probe to effect electric connectiontherewith when said probes are displaced with respect to one anotheralong said paths by a predetermined distance,

means forming an electric circuit including said contact on said secondprobe and at least one said contact point on said first probe, and

means for actuating said guide member to a position to cause tubulararticles held in said chuck member to be fed to said second conveyorwhen said electric circuit is completed.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes a support member fixedto said chuck member and rotatable therewith,

a ball nut slidably mounted on said support member to permit movement inthe direction of said chuck member,

a ball screw rotatably mounted in said ball nut,

said inspecting means being mounted on said ball screw,

means for moving said ball screw and said ball nut in unison toward andaway from said chuck member, and

means for effecting relative rotation between said ball screw and saidball nut to cause rotation of said inspecting means.

7 8 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said inmeans foractuating said guide member to a position specting means comprises tocause tubular articles held in said chuck member support means, to befed to said second conveyor when said electric a first probe, circuit iscompleted.

a second probe, said probes being spring-biased from said support inReferences Cited the direction of said chuck and being reciprocableUNITED STATES PATENTS along parallel paths, said first probe having twoelectric contact points 3,024,905 3/1962 f 209-80 spaced apart in adirection parallel to said paths, 10 3,073,444 1/1963 Blehnskl 20974said second probe having an electric contact located 3,080,659 3/1963Wolford 209 88 X between said electric contact points of said first3,085,685 4/1963 Rlvely 20988 X probe and movable between said contactpoints of said first probe to effect electric connection therewith whensaid probes are displaced with respect to 15 one another along saidpaths by a predetermined distance,

means forming an electric circuit including said contact on said secondprobe and at least one said contact point on said first probe, and 20RICHARD A. SCHACHER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 209-80, 88

